Schools

Charles River Chamber Scholarships Available, Expanded Beyond College

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

The Charles River Regional Chamber is offering scholarship opportunities for up to four deserving students who either live in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and/or who attend school in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and who plan to attend an accredited program, community college, college or university in the next academic year. The student(s) selected will have a check (approximately $2,000) sent to their college or university to be applied toward tuition upon successfully completing their first semester. New this year, the chamber is expanding eligibility for a scholarship to include high school graduates who will be attending community colleges and other accredited post-secondary programs.

“We used to limit participation in our scholarship program to students attending a four-year college,” explained Charles River Chamber President and CEO Greg Reibman. “However, we’re expanding eligibility because we’ve come to recognize that there’s more than one path students can take to a fulfilling career, just as different jobs require different skills, knowledge, or credentials.” Selection will be made by a panel of local leaders who will review all applications completed by the submission deadline of March 29, 2024 at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made based on a combination of the application’s completeness and accuracy, letter of recommendation, and responses to essay questions.

Schools

Watertown Schools to Offer Free PreK Starting in Fall 2024

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(Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

Starting next fall, Watertown will offer free pre-kindergarten classes for 90 4-year-olds in town as part of a new universal PreK program. Since she arrived in Watertown, Superintendent Dede Galdston has been talking about offering universal PreKindergarten. She hoped that the district would get financial help from the federal or state government, but that has not materialized. “Sooner or later, if we feel this is something that is true to our core values, we might want to consider doing it ourselves,” Galdston told the School Committee on Monday. “So, I think we are at the moment and time where I think we do so.”

Schools

Applications Available for 56th Annual Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship

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Lt. Paul Sullivan was killed in Vietnam in 1968, and a scholarship in his name has been given out for 56 years. For the 56th year, a scholarship will be awarded in memory of Paul J. Sullivan, a Watertown-native who died serving in the Vietnam. The following information was provided by the Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship Committee:

THE LT. PAUL J. SULLIVAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

One could not have asked for a finer friend than Paul Sullivan. He was a model of rectitude in his personal relationships. In all his dealings he was straightforward, candid, and direct.

Schools

College Honors for Five Watertown Students During Fall 2023 Semester

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Students from Watertown made the dean’s list at College of Charleston, University of Delaware, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Dean College in the fall of 2023. The following information was provided by the college or university. College of Charleston

Dean’s List (Distinguished)

To qualify for Dean’s List (Distinguished), students must earn a GPA of 3.500 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 semester hours. The following students at the College of Charleston were named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2023 semester:

Madison Cummings

University of Delaware

Charlotte Deveikas of Watertown has been named to the University of Delaware Dean’s List for the Fall 2023 semester. To meet eligibility requirements for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a GPA of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale) for the semester.

Schools

Details Released on Steps Taken by School & Police After Discovery of Middle School List

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

Watertown Public School officials released some details about the steps taken by Watertown Middle School and the Watertown Police following the discovery of a list of students created by a WMS student. A meeting was held Tuesday night where some parents expressed frustration about the lack of information released. The meeting Tuesday night was closed to the media, and school officials said it was intended for parents, staff and the Watertown Middle School community. Watertown Middle School Principal Jennifer Fein Chen and Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out the following letter:

Dear Watertown Middle School Families

Thank you to all the members of our WMS community who came to our discussion last night regarding our school safety situation last week. One of the primary takeaways from this forum was that many caregivers feel that not enough information about the school’s process has been shared.

Schools

Middle School Holding Forum About Safety on Campus After List of Students Found

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Watertown Middle School

Watertown Public School officials and the Watertown Police appear at a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. for the Watertown Middle School Community following the discovery of a list of students created by a WMS student. School officials said they have assessed the situation and determined there was no credible threat, but some parents remain concerned for the safety of their children and have questions about how the school handled the situation. The list was found last week, and the school contacted parents of students who were on the document. Watertown Middle School implemented the district’s safety protocols, and has been working with the student and the student’s family, who worked with the school and police “to ensure their well-being and the safety of our community,” read a letter sent out by Watertown Middle School Principal Jennifer Chen Fein.

Schools

School Committee to Look at Ways to Make Overnight Field Trips Affordable for All Students

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Watertown Public School music students perform at Bandarama. Those in high school take a trip to New York every two years. The School Committee approved a field trip for Watertown High School music students to spend a weekend in New York, but had concerns about the price and making sure that all students can participate. The trip to the Big Apple has become a biannual tradition for the chorus, band, and orchestra. The trip includes a performance and workshop with professional musicians, a Broadway show, a dinner/dance cruise around the Statue of Liberty, visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and walking around Central Park.

Schools

Musicians Wanted to Perform at 11th Annual Watertown MusicFest

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The following announcement was provided by the Friends of Watertown Music:

Friends of Watertown Music invites you to attend our 11th Annual MusicFest, on Friday, March 15, 2024, from 5:30 to 9:00 pm, at the Watertown Middle School. MusicFest is a fun community event, offering something for everyone with over 40 performances, across 3 stages. The variety of performers often includes student musicians, Watertown Public School teachers, local rock bands, established musicians, a vignette of musical theater, and more. Performances run from 5 to 20 minutes, so attendees have the chance to go around and see as many acts as they wish. Calling all musicians: registration is open through March 5th !